Lap-robe.



H. T. VON FRANKENBERG.

LAP ROBE.

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Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

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HERBERT THOMAS VON FRANKENBERG, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LAE-ROBE.

Application filed May 14,

To Iall who/m it may concern:

Be it known that l, HERBERT THOMAS von FRANKENBnae, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Lap-Robe, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

r1`his invention relates to certain improvements in lap robes or lap coverings, and incre particularly to a type of lap robe extensible at the lower portion so that even though the upper portion be tightly folded about the body, the lower portion will permit a certain amount of freedom of movement of the feet to facilitate the operation of the brake, clutch or the like, of a motor vehicle.

My improved la robe is formed of a sheet of fabric or any ot ier suitable material, and is provided with laits extending from the upper edge to the ower edge thereof, each of said plaits being securely closed at its upper end and free to open at its lower end. rlhe plaits naturally remain closed throughout their' length, but when the lap robe is tightly folded about the body, the plaits will open at their lower ends for permitting the operation of a pedal orL for any other desired purpose.

Lap robes have been designed in which special pockets were provided adjacent the lower portion of the lap robe and adapted to receive the feet or the lower portion of the legs, but robes of this character are not adapted for .general use and require a special cutting and fitting of the material. ln my improved robe, l provide a suitable rectangular sheet having oppositelydisposed parallel side edges and a plurality of plaits of substantially uniform size, so that after the fabiic is plaited, the oppositely-disposed sides remain substantially parallel. This permits the robe to be readily folded or used for any desired purpose, but by leaving the plaits open at the bottom, the desired freedom of movement is attained.

Reference is to be had to the accompany* ing drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the fig-r ures, and in which* Figure 1 is a face view of the outer surface of the robe in a flat condition; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the robe as it appears when in use, a portion of the person being shown in dotted lines Fig. 3 is a transverse section on Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 27,1909.

1908. Serial No. 432,857.

the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the plait in its open or extended position; and Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

My improved lap robe may bemade of any a sheet of fabric 10, substantially rectangu lar in form. The fabric is folded to form a uniform width throughout their length and extending the entire distance from the upper edge of the robe to the lower edge thereof. The folded edges 12, 12, of the plaits lie closely adjacent each other, and are preferably, although not necessarily, sewed through along their entire length to form slight beads or ridges. At the upper portion of each plait, these adjacent folded edges are stitched to the back 13 of the plait, so as to permanently hold the plait in its closed position, and at the upper end of the stitching, that is, at the point 14, an extra reinforcement of transverse stitches is provided for preventing the main stitching from tearing and opening up the upper portion of the plait. The plaits subdivide the lap robe into a plurality of panels or sections extending the entire distance from the top to the bottom of the robe and of uniform width throughout their length.

The robe is provided with any suitable binding 15 or border, extending transversely around the same, the binding at the upper edge being secured directly across the plaits and also serving to hold them in their closed position, while at the lower edge the binding follows the fabric and permits the laits to be opened. IThe plaits naturally fal in closed position, so that the robe is normally of the same width at the lower edge as at the upper edge, but as soon as the slightest strain is exerted, the plaits open up, as indicated in Figs.

"2 and 4. Any desired number of plaits may be employed in order to accomplish the desired results, and, if desired, the stitching through the folded edges 12, 12, below the points 14, may be omitted.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A lap robe or covering, comprising a flexible sheet of substantially rectangular form having o positely-disposed substantially parallel si e edges, a plurality of plaits of uniform width extending the entire distance from the upper edge to the lower edge plurality of box plaits 11, of substantially suitable material, but is preferably formed of thereof and parallel to said side edges and subdividing the sheet into a plurality of plain fiat panels of uniform width throughout their length and extending the entire distance from the lower edge of the sheet to the upper edge thereof, each plait having the folded edges thereof stitched to the back of the plait at the upper end and along the upper portion thereof, and a binding extending across the plaits at their upper ends to addii tionally hold the same in a closed position.

. 2. A la) robe or covering, comprising a flexible sheet of substantially rectangular.` form and having a plurality of box plaits of uniform width extending the entire distance f from the upper edge thereof to the lower,

edge, each plait having the folded edges thereof stitched to the back of the plait at the upper end and stitched to form a bead or ridge throughout the remaining portion of the length ofthe plait, and a binding extending across the plaits at the upper edge to additionally hold the same in their closed position and following the sheet at the lower edge to permit the plaits to be opened.

ln testimony whereof have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERBERT THOMAS VON FRANKENBERG. T`.Witnesses Louis DUSENBERY, K. B. JOHNSON. 

